Oh how I loved this book. Such a cosy, lovely easy going read and I got through it so quickly! It was so nice to dip into Merryn’s world and I absolutely loved how the story grew and developed so steadily but enough to keep you on your toes. Just such a wonderful read, I will definitely be keeping my eye out for other books by Miranda 🥰 This book was exactly what I needed! ✨ Thank you so much to Miranda and HQ for access to the eARC via NetGalley ✨

I loved the idea of an abandoned piano being claimed and becoming the catalyst for changing people’s lives for the better. Such a lovely concept.
This is a perfect read for those wanting romance and emotion. Set in St Ives in Cornwall which has made me absolutely desperate to visit. Why have I never been there? I am going to put that right this autumn for sure.
Thank you to the author for introducing me to Merryn, Zach and their friends. It was just lovely and I feel so much better for having read And Then There Was You.

This is a perfect bit of escapism. The Cornish setting is amazing, the love story is cute, and its a perfect easy read. Great for a summer holiday or snuggling down as the weather gets colder.
Another great book from this author.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly enjoyable and unputdownable book. A beautifully written, captivating story that i can't recommend highly enough. Set in the most idyllic sounding St.Ives, which has now been added to my must visit list, especially to see the invisible man. Thank you so much to netgalley, publishers and Miranda Dickinson for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this fabulous book.

What a wonderful story this was! I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t want it to end!

This gorgeous romance tells the story of Merryn and Zach in alternating chapters. Merryn, living in St Ives and three years after the painful break up of her marriage, is finally doing ok. She has a great circle of friends and a successful cafe to call hers. Zach, on the other hand, is still grieving for his mum, is without a job and is sofa surfing. And whilst the days are hard, being in St Ives brings him comfort. His past is in every wave of the sea and every corner of the town.

One night, walking home, Merryn comes across an abandoned piano, which she decides to rescue and it becomes a beautiful new focal point in her cafe. Hearing its melody stirs up the memories of the happiest years of her childhood but whilst playing it then was special and brought comfort, Merryn can’t even bear to touch the keys now. It’s all too painful.. For Zach on the other hand, playing the piano means an escape from the present… And when a familiar tune finds its way from Zach’s fingers to Merryn’s heart, the world begins to change for them both.

This book is full of love and hope and the Cornish setting is so vivid: I felt like I was there in St Ives myself. I absolutely adored Merryn and Zach and the way music spoke to them both. If you ever hear a piece of music and you feel yourself transported to a moment in time, to a person in your heart then you will totally connect with this book. It’s my first read by the author but it most definitely won’t be the last! Genuinely a joy to read from start to finish.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the early copy — and my dreamy personalized pre-order from Tea Leaves and Reads arrived today too 😍.

Miranda has done it again! Set in the beautiful St Ives, this touching story follows Merryn Rowe, a café owner who gives an abandoned piano a home in her courtyard, only to be drawn to a midnight musician — Zach Trevelyan, a former pro surfer trying to rebuild his life. With gentle magic, second chances, and a comforting sense of community, this one stayed with me. A beautiful, uplifting read I’ll definitely return to. 💛

To me a Miranda Dickinson book is an afternoon well spent and this one is no different. We are introduced to Merryn and Zach who live in St Ives. A piano left to her by her stepfather - on a whim she leaves the piano in the courtyard of her cafe, a young man starts playing it at night - who is the man and how does he know the songs to play?

I do love a Miranda Dickinson book who I have followed and read from her debut novel. Again, this one does not disappoint.

This is my second book by Miranda Dickinson, which I really enjoyed reading!

#AndThenThereWasYou is a charming, heartwarming story set in St Ives. This book reminds you how people can have such an impact on on your, life no matter how short they spend in it!

Merryn is a lovely character who you instantly connect with. Life hasn't been easy for her, but what she has overcome to be where she is now shows the strength of her character. She rescues a piano and wheels it back to her café little did she know it's history or how this decision will chance her life!

Thank you, #NetGalley and @HarperCollins, for this fabulous read.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Another fabulous book by Miranda.

Merryn finds an abandoned piano, which she wants to take to her place.

When she was growing up, her childhood wasn’t a happy one and now she can’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be than in St Ives.

But, after the piano is in her possession, things start to change around her, some good and some not so good things start to happen, maybe this will be the start of her life changing. She’s never played a piano since something happened years ago, no matter how much she wants to play this one, she just can’t.

Will Merryn find her love of playing the piano again, and will it help her make amends with her past?

I loved the setting and the story kept me turning the pages.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC.

Merryn Rowe owns a café in St Ives, Cornwall. She is divorced but has a community of good friends around her. One day, she and BFF Seth come across an old piano that bears a "free to a good home" sign on it. They transport it to Merryn's café Sweet Reverie, paint it and name it Merlin, as this is Cornwall after all.

When Merryn was seven, she had a stepdad for two years who taught her to play the piano. When he left, she was inconsolable and has never played the piano since. She wanted to search for him for years but her ex Jake Pengelly always discouraged her. But now rudderless former professional surfer Zach Trevelyan has come into her life and they try again, with a newspaper plea.

That's where the book lost me a bit. The search for Grant Henderson was so drawn out and so needlessly sabotaged by several people that it nearly drowned out the romance between Merryn and Zach. There are two typical males in this story - Jack who actively dissuades her and lies to her because he wants to control her, and Seth, who actively dissuades her because he thinks it is a bad idea and he wants to protect her. As it is up to Merryn to decide what she wants, he hugely oversteps.

And why does Ruthie make such a song and dance about Zach running out of the café? "He hasn't paid!" He hadn't eaten it either and it was just a plate of biscuits and a pot of tea, both reusable. That story point went on and on, as Ruthie seemed unable to drop it.

The midnight piano playing in the courtyard is lovely and St Ives is portrayed beautifully but the ending felt abrupt, as if the author had run out of steam. If she hadn't spent quite so much time on the search for Grant, maybe we could have spent more time on the two of them together. Parts of this story were lovely but for me it's not the author's best.

3.5; stars

A story about (mostly) lovely people in the Cornish town of Truro. There’s Merton, a kindly young cafe owner, recovering from a failed relationship. There’s Zach, a former professional surfer dude who’s finding life hard after an injury forced him to give up the sport her loved. There’s Merrin’s friend Seth, who thinks he can hold his drink. Then there’s the piano, named Merlin, almost a character in its own right. A lovely book, full of warmth and kindness with occasional drama.

And Then There Was You is a heartwarming and emotional story set against the beautiful backdrop of St Ives. Merryn Rowe has rebuilt her life after divorce, pouring her love and energy into her café, Sweet Reverie. While her café and community bring her joy, she cannot help but wonder if there is something more waiting for her. Zach Trevelyan, once a talented surfer, finds himself lost after an injury leaves his career in ruins. In St Ives, the paths of Merryn and Zach cross when a piano with memories of the past becomes the centrepiece of something unexpected and magical.

Miranda Dickinson has created a moving and atmospheric story about healing, connection and hope. Merryn is a compelling heroine, resilient yet vulnerable, while Zach is written with warmth and quiet strength. The midnight piano music that brings them together is both poignant and symbolic, weaving the story with nostalgia and romance.

The setting of St Ives is brought vividly to life, from the bustling streets to the charm of the Cornish coastline. It is easy to picture Sweet Reverie and long to sit in its courtyard, soaking in the atmosphere. The book also explores themes of loss, second chances and the courage it takes to embrace love after heartbreak.

This is a tender and uplifting book that lingers in the heart, reaffirming Miranda Dickinson as a storyteller who captures both place and emotion with grace.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

a lovely lazy summer read, perfect to lose yourself in, a story of finding yourself and finding love. set in a cozy cafe and a seaside town it has everything you need

Merryn runs a cafe in St Ives, trying to rebuild her life after a divorce. When she and friend Seth find a piano one evening, eith a sign saying take it, she decides to move it to the courtyard of the cafe. There is only one problem - she cannot play the piano until she finds the man who taught her to play. Can she find a way?

Overall I did enjoy the book - there were some beautiful descriptions of the scenery, and I loved the idea of Merlin the piano. I also really liked Merryn and her ambition, but I couldn't understand Seth - he didn't feel like a friend, it felt like he wanted more, and was just a jealous onlooker. He was not a favourite of mine! I really liked pregnant Aggie, she was the perfect mix of pushy and caring. I did feel the book was overly long, lots of passages were too flowery and could have been cut in half. A nice enough summer read.

I’ve enjoyed a few of Miranda Dickinson’s novels and my favourite is Somewhere Beyond the Sea as I loved the St Ives setting and the romance between Seren and Jack. And Then There Was You is also set in the beautiful St Ives, a town I know well and I loved reading about all the familiar places. Merryn owns a small café in the town, she’s happy with her life after a marriage break up, when one night she finds a piano abandoned on the street. The piano brings back memories of Grant, her mother’s partner who came into her life for a short time when she was a child. Zach Trevelyan, a retired surfer , has returned to St Ives and soon becomes involved in Merryn’s life and the search for Grant.
I loved the characters of Merryn and Zach and become completely immersed in their lives in St Ives. The secondary characters are all well drawn and believable and for fans of Somewhere Beyond the Sea there’s a treat! I did feel that the plot line about Grant was less believable and didn’t flow with the rest of the story.
Overall an enjoyable summer read that made me long for the sea. 3.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Miranda Dickinson does it again. and what a book. frankly what an author. she writes like she was born to. like story's and the needs to write are flowing through her veins and fingers. i love her words, her stories and every time fall in love with her books. each and every one of them. she is a talent and i want thank her and everyone involved that gets her hard work out to us each and every one of them.
this one had extra comfort and extra healing of the heart kind of feeling to it. i loved every second and felt better from reading it. i did get emotional at points. wouldn't we all love a journey to healing like this one.
could this community adopt me into it please? like now?
and could i feel this town in my bones from Miranda's descriptions and the way she writes? yes i could, i buckets and spades.
Merryn was one of my favorite characters I've read about in a while. she is such a wonderful soul to get to know.
Merryn has been living in St Ives where she runs her cafe. she's been through it and is just trying to piece her life together after a rough past relationship and a bumpy set of circumstances. she's just trying to get better, feel better and she is just trying to find her again.
Zachary is a former pro surfer and is feeling down himself. an injury means that part of his life, basically his life is over. his career gone. so he's got no job, no way forward and his own lot of emotions to work through. so he heads to somewhere he thinks might give him just that.
and then the two meet. over the same tune. and so the music they make together begins in all its gorgeousness. and we are here for this beating heart of a tune, here for it all.
i was hooked and i was taken in by them all. every part felt tender and though out, every part felt thoughtful.
i loved the setting and all the things within it.
you watch our characters heal and you might just heal a part of yourself too.

Really good book which I will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

"Every piano and every human has their own unique voice, Zachary. The magic is one one meets the other. A Love match of keys and vocals, tone and breath. Find that, and you'll never feel alone."

And Then There Was You ✨
⭐⭐⭐ | Pub Date: Aug 28

A heartfelt story about second chances, unexpected connections, and healing in the most picturesque seaside town. 🌊💛

Merryn Rowe has been living in St Ives, running her little café and trying to piece her life back together after a tough divorce. She’s not looking for love—she’s just trying to rediscover herself. Meanwhile, Zachary, a former pro surfer, is at rock bottom. A devastating injury cost him his career, and now he’s broke, grieving, and looking for a fresh start in the town his mother once called home.

Their lives collide—quite literally—over a piano, and from that moment on, their story begins. It’s not just about romance; it’s about finding light after loss, rediscovering purpose, and choosing to open your heart again.

🌿 I loved the coastal setting—it felt like a warm breeze and the scent of sea salt. The characters were flawed but real, and I appreciated how grounded their journey felt. BUT… I didn’t feel completely hooked the way I hoped to be.

Still, it’s a gentle, comforting read with a lot of heart. Perfect if you love stories about healing, community, and starting over.

Huge thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of #AndThenThereWasYou in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview #RomanceReads #SecondChanceRomance #StIvesVibes #SummerReads #Bookstagram #NewBeginnings #CoastalRomance

Fabulous new book from Miranda Dickinson which is a wonderful heartwarming and heartfelt story from St Ives in Cornwall, full of magic and romance and Cornish ways! Loved the references to the real Cornish culture and language, with lots of sea glass and cake!
Merryn Rowe has been running her dream cafe for a while now, next door to her mate’s surf shop, and when they are out one evening they come across a piano on the street outside a building site that is “free to takers”. Memories of hope and music return to Merryn as they wheel it back to the cafe to her courtyard garden. Can she find the hope it brings?
Zach Trevelyan is looking for work after having to leave his career as a professional surfer and finds himself back in St Ives. Can the magic of the piano at the cafe help him find his way again?!
Fabulous burning romance, some laughs and upsets, an interesting reflection of relationships and family.
Evocative, easy reading, spot on descriptions and tone of St Ives, this is a gorgeous escape to Cornwall. Absorbing and engaging from the first page to the last (I didn’t want it to end!!) this is perfect holiday reading or for a bit of a jaunt from everyday life!!
Hugely recommended! It certainly made me want to go to Cornwall again!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the early read, I absolutely loved it!